Spicy Pan Fried Potatoes

This is a spicy potato fry recipe where the potato is neither baked nor deep fried. Instead it is shallow fried in a yummy paprika and yogurt mixture. Potato , I would say is the tastiest of all veggies and it tastes awesome which ever way it is cooked. Hence, I can assure you that this is a tasty and easy recipe. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 large baking potato
2 tbsp Yogurt
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp garam masala
1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
salt
pepper
olive oil

Directions

Slice potatoes into bite size pieces. Mix yogurt, paprika, ginger garlic paste and garam masala. Add little salt. Marinate potatoes in this yogurt mixture for 15 minutes.Microwave potatoes for 5-6 minutes to soften.
Spray large frying pan with olive oil and add potatoes. Cook on medium heat until tender and browned. When being cooked, the marinade might ooze off if it is not properly set in the oven. But just let the potatoes cook in it. It adds to its flavour.
When done, add salt and pepper to taste.

Paneer Achari Tikka

This is a variety paneer recipe and a truly yummy one too. Here, the paneer cubes are coated with a wonderful spice mix and a set of aromatic spices. The aroma that wafts through the kitchen when it is being cooked is truly worth all your efforts. It tastes perfect when served hot.

Ingredients

For The Achaari Marinade
1 tbsp green chilli paste
1/2 cup curd
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek  seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp mustard oil
salt to taste

Other ingredients
1 1/2 cups paneer (cottage cheese) cubes
oil for greasing and cooking

Method

For the achaari marinade
Combine all the ingredients, except the curd in a mixer and blend to a coarse mixture.
Transfer the mixture into a deep bowl, add the curd and mix well.

Now add the paneer to the prepared achaari marinade, mix gently and keep aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
Heat a non-stick tava, grease it with little oil, place a few paneer cubes on it and cook on a medium flame, using a little oil, till they turn golden brown in colour from all the sides. Serve immediately.

Vazhakka Bajji (Raw Banana Fritters)

I had some batter left over from the mirchi bajjis that I made yesterday. So I thought I'll make vazhakka bajjis since I havent posted its recipe in my blog yet. This is quite a filling snack and a tasty one too. Serve it with chutney or ketchup.

Ingredients

Vazhakkai/ Raw plantain - 1
Besan/ kadala maavu - 1/2 cup
Rice flour - 1/4 cup
Corn flour (optional) - 1 tsp
Cooking soda - 3 pinches
Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp
jeera - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt and water - As needed
Hot oil (optional) - 1 tblsp
Oil - for deep frying

Method
In a mixing bowl, mix gram flour, rice flour, red chilli powder, cooking soda, asafoetida, salt, corn flour and hot oil if using, ajwain or jeera. Add water little by little and mix well with a whisk and make a thick batter. The batter should easily coat the vazhakkai, not too thick.
Peel off the skin of the plantain with a peeler or if you are comfortable with a knife. Slice them thin or medium thick as you wish using knife or a slicer. Keep it immersed in water until use. Heat oil in kadai side by side. Take it out from water, drain the water as much as you can, dip and coat the vazhakkai and drop carefully in hot oil.
Fry them both sides until golden brown. Adjust the heat now and then to avaoid fuming of oil Also using the ladle keep pouring the hot oil over the bajjis as its getting cooked to make it puff nicely. Drain in paper towels.

Carrot Bajji

This is purely an experiment from my side. I tried it out with the aim of making my little kiddo eat a few carrots. It is not as tasty as an aloo bajji or mirchi bajji, but it is okay to have as a once in a while tea time snack.

Ingredients

2 medium size Carrots
1-1/2 cups besan
1 tbsp rice flour
1/6 tsp baking soda
1/6 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Water for making batter
Salt to taste

Instructions

Slice the carrots into thin round slices. Put them in water, till the time you prepare the batter. Take a big bowl and mix in besan, rice flour, baking soda, asafoetida, Cumin powder, Turmeric powder, salt and red chilli powder. Gradually add water to make a medium consistency batter. Put few carrot slices in prepared batter and coat them very well from all the sides.

Heat good amount of oil in a frying pan. Carefully drop the coated carrot slices into hot oil and fry on a medium flame by flipping over, till the cartot bajjis turns golden from both sides.

Drain on kitchen paper towels and serve it with chutney.

Prawn Batter Fry

This is a tasty prawn batter fry recipe. I was thinking of a variety prawn fry recipe and was browsing through the net when I came across this one and immediately decided to try it out. It came out perfectly well and everyone loved it, especially my little boy who usually hates prawns.

Ingredients

Prawns - 200 grams
All purpose flour - 2 spoons
Corn flour - 2 spoons
Rice flour - 1/2 spoon
Red chilli powder - 1 spoon
Chat masala - 1/2 spoon
Garam masala - 1/4 spoon
Pepper powder - 1/2 spoon
Lemon juice - 1 spoon (For washing the prawns)
Salt - As per taste
Oil - For deep frying
Toothpicks

Preparation

Shell and de-vein prawns and wash well in water. Apply some lemon juice and salt and set aside for a few minutes and wash it well again.
Take a bowl and all the above said ingredients, except prawns and lemon juice and add some water and make a batter out of it. The batter should not be too runny nor too thick.
Take the prawn pieces and pat dry them using a kitchen towel or tissue paper. (If the prawns are wet the batter wont stick to the prawns well)
Insert tooth picks into the prawns through one end and set aside. Do this with the rest of the prawns.
Place a pan on flame and pour oil into it. Let it heat up well on low flame.
Now dip them in the prepared batter by holding the stick and drop off the excess batter by holding it for a while. (If you don't remove excess batter the layer will come off from the prawns while frying)
Then gently drop them into the pre-heated oil.
Gently turn sides and fry on medium flame for just 3 minutes or until the batter turns brownish and crispy.
Remove from flame and place on a tissue paper to absorb excess oil. Serve!!

Prawn Fry

This is the tastiest of all prawn recipes. It is very easy to make and can be done in very less time. When you are in a hurry to make some non -vegetarian side dish, this can be the one you can count on. This is a purely south Indian version of a prawn fry.

Ingredients

Prawns - 10
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Pepper powder - 1tsp
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Oil - 1tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - chopped
Oil - for frying
Salt

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients, except prawns and oil, and make a paste. Marinate the prawns with this paste and keep aside for half an hour. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry it with a few curry leaves for 5-7 minutes. If you fry it for long, the prawns will become hard. Serve hot.

Malaysian Fried Chicken

This is a variety Chicken fry recipe, quite different from the commonly prepared ones. The ingredients are a bit intimidating but it all comes together to become a perfect marinade and eventually becomes one of the perfect chicken fry recipes ever.

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
6 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

To Marinate: In a nonporous glass dish or bowl, combine the garlic, oyster sauce and curry powder. Mix together. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat. Cover dish or bowl and refrigerate to marinate for at least 1/2 hour.
In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium high heat. Add marinated chicken (disposing of leftover marinade) and fry for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is crispy and brown and juices run clear.

Mixed Vegetable Pakora

This is a tasty and healthy tea time snack and quite a filling one too.Chickpea Flour is Gluten free and makes a great Batter for all fried foods. If your kid hates veggies and is a picky eater, this is the best way you can make him eat veggies.

Ingredients

1 cup chickpea flour
2 teaspoons oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin or 1 teaspoon pakora masala
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
1 -2 chopped green chili
1⁄2 cup water
1 potato
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
2 cups cabbage
1 1⁄2 cups sliced onions

Directions

Boil the potato until just tender, peel and chop finely. Boil greenpeas and sweet corn.
Finely chop peppers and onion. Shred the cabbage.
Mix flour, cumin, salt, green chilli and water well. Beat in a blender for 4-5 minutes to incorporate air (this will make the batter fluffier).Let batter rest 1/2 hour in a warm place.
Add the vegetables and mix in evenly.Deep fry in oil that is heated.
Drain pakora on paper towels and serve immediately.

Aloo Bajji

This is a very tasty bajji which can be made in no time with the least of efforts. This Pakora dish warm up your tea time with family and friends. Aloo bajji is simply cooked with sliced potatoes and besan. They are cooked soft and melts in mouth. Enjoy with chutney.

Ingredients

2 medium size potatoes
1-1/2 cups besan
1 tbsp rice flour
1/6 tsp baking soda
1/6 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
Water for making batter
Salt to taste

Instructions

Peel the potatoes and cut into thin round slices. Put them in water, till the time you prepare the batter. Take a big bowl and mix in besan, rice flour, baking soda, asafoetida,  salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Gradually add water to make a medium consistency batter. Put few potatoes slices in prepared batter and coat them very well from all the sides.

Heat good amount of oil in a frying pan. Carefully drop the coated potato slices into hot oil and fry on a medium flame by flipping over, till the aloo bajji  turns golden from both sides.

Drain on kitchen paper towels and serve aloo bajji with chutney.

Uzhunnu Vada

This is a very tasty south Indian recipe and very common in the states of Kerala and Tamil nadu. It is absolutely impossible to count the number of times I myself had uzhunnu vadas for tea. It is seen everywhere, from small 'Thattu kadas' to five star restaurants and it is popularly served as an accompaniment with idlis and dosas.

Ingredients

Urad Dal /Uzhunnu Parippu - 2 cups
Rice Flour - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1/4 cup (chopped)
Green Chillies - 3-4 nos
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Black Pepper Corns - 1 tbsp (crushed)
Ginger - 1 inch piece (finely chopped)
Salt to taste
Baking Soda -1 pinch
Oil to fry

Method

Soak urad dal in a vessel with enough water to just cover the dal and keep aside for 1 hour (Note : After about 30 mins, the water level would have gone down. Now add more water to cover the dal again.)
In a wet grinder, grind the dal in small portions without adding water, if the grinder is unable to grind well, sprinkle some water and grind again till you get a smooth, thick and fluffy paste, the batter has to be as thick as possible.
Now  transfer the batter to bowl and using your hand, beat the batter and combine well for at least 5 minutes, this will create air inside the batter. By doing this vada you can get to enjoy soft, fluffy vadas.
To this dal batter, add chopped ginger, green chillies, onion, curry leaves, crushed whole black pepper corns, a pinch of baking soda (to make the vadas soft) and salt and mix well.
To have a crispy vada, add rice flour to the batter,Let the batter sit for 5-10 minutes
Heat oil in a kadai or deep skillet when its hot. Make round shapes ball with the batter using the palm of your hand.
Wet the palm of your hand with water and place a ball of the vada mix on it. Press it down slightly with the fingers of your other hand.
Now using one finger make a hole in the middle of it. Drop it slowly and carefully into the hot oil. Wet your palm each time you make the round shape, this prevents the batter from sticking on your hand.
Fry the vadas till golden brown and lay them out on a tray lined with kitchen tissue to absorb excess oil.
Yummy vada is ready...Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambar  and Enjoy!

Chicken Pakora (Golden Chicken Nuggets)

This is a very very tasty non vegetarian version of a pakora. The chicken marinades beautifully and that gives such a spicy twang to the tastebuds. A variety tea time snack and a perfect starter dish.

Ingredients

5 chicken thigh fillets, trimmed & chopped into bite size pieces
2 cloves garlic
3cm piece fresh ginger, chopped roughly
2 green chillies, chopped
Juice from ½ lemon
1 tsp salt
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin seeds (crushed)
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
100g gram flour
Handful of coriander, chopped
Water (if required)
Oil for deep frying

Method

Place the garlic, ginger, green chillies, lemon juice, garam masala, cumin seeds, chilli powder, dried fenugreek leaves into a pestle and mortar and blend to a rough paste.
Place chicken in a bowl and add the paste, mix to marinade and leave for at least 20 minutes - the longer the better.
Heat up the oil in a wok to a medium heat
Into the marinated chicken sprinkle in the freshly chopped coriander and then sieve in the gram flour. Mix together using your hand.
Add a small amount of water if required to ensure the chicken is coated in a thick batter.
Test your oil is hot enough by dropping in a little batter into the oil. If it browns and rises immediately then it is ready. Very carefully place the pieces of chicken into the oil one at a time and fry until crisp and golden brown.
Using a slotted spoon move the pakora around, be careful not to overcrowd the karahi.
Once golden brown and crisp remove from the oil and set on some kitchen paper.

Crispy Coastal Fish Fry

This is a delicious and famous dish of the coastal region. The presence of coconut powder and lemon juice gives it a unique taste and the rice flour makes it very crispy. In short, it is a truly yummy lip smacking dish.

Ingredients

Fish - 250 Grams
Coconut powder -1 Tablespoons
Ginger garlic paste -1 Tablespoons
Cumin powder-1/2 Teaspoons
Red chilly powder-1 1/2 Teaspoons
Turmeric powder-1/4 Teaspoons
Rice flour-1 Tablespoons
Salt-To Taste
Oil -To Fry
Lime juice - 1 Tablespoons
Coriander powder - 1 Teaspoon

Directions

In a plate, add coconut powder, ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, rice flour and salt. Blend all together to make a paste.  Then add lime juice, little water and mix thoroughly to make a paste.  Now add fish pieces and marinate it with masala paste and rest it for 1-2 hours. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the fish pieces on medium flame until golden brown in colour. Now the fish is ready to be served.

Andhra Chepa Vepudu

This is a very common fish fry in Andhra Pradesh. I was a bit reluctant when I went through the recipe because of the presence of garam masala as an ingredient.. Garam masala and fish fry?? But trust me, it tastes too yummy for words and hence a must try recipe.

Ingredients

Oil or ghee as needed
250 grams fish pieces or fillet
Salt as needed
2 to 3 pinches of turmeric
1 tbsp. Lemon juice or as needed
¾ tsp ginger garlic paste
¼ to ¾ tsp red chili powder
¼ to ½ tsp garam masala powder

Instructions

Apply salt to fish and rinse it well. Drain thoroughly. Mix all the ingredients except oil. Apply to the fish. Keep this aside for 10 minutes. It absorbs flavors well.
Heat a small pan with oil or ghee. When the oil turns hot enough fry it for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then flip it to the other side. Fry again till it is fried properly. Add curry leaves and fry until crisp. Drain to a kitchen tissue.

French Fries

Everyone likes French fries. Why should you buy it from the stores when you can cook it perfectly well in the comfort of your homes. It is very crispy on the outside and soft inside.  It is an easy recipe and a perfect tea time snack when served with yummy tomato sauce.

Ingredients

Potatoes-3 large
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Chilli powder to taste
 Salt to taste
 Oil for deep frying

Method

Buy large potatoes for making french fries. Wash and peel the skin.
First cut slightly on all the sides of the potato.
Then slice it lengthwise. Then cut it again like fingers (baton cut). Keep them in water to prevent the potatoes from getting discoloured.
Rinse the potato fingers in water twice. Boil water in a pan with salt and turmeric powder.When water starts boiling, add the potatoes. Cook the potatoes until soft but they should not fall apart or break. They should retain their shape.  Do not overcook the potatoes.
Drain the water completely. Spread it on a plate and cool it well.
Once it is completely cooled, it is ready to be fried. Heat oil in a kadai, (to check if the oil is hot enough, put a small piece of potato inside, if it comes to the surface immediately, the oil is hot enough to fry the potato fingers), once the oil is hot, add the potatoes and fry until golden brown and crispy.
Drain the french fries on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. When the fries are hot, sprinkle chilli powder to taste (or you can season with ground pepper powder also) and mix it well with your hands, so that the fries are well coated.
Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Coastal Chicken Fry

There is no non-vegetarian person who doesnt love a Chicken fry. I'm also one ardent lover of Chicken fries. Here in my family, everyone loves to bite into a crispy fried chicken drumstick for lunch or dinner. So I wont miss any opportunity to try out new recipes of chicken fry. This is a unique, super tasty chicken fry very popular in the coastal regions.

Ingredients

chicken-1/2 kg
Green chillies-6 in no
Fresh coriander-1/2 bunch
Curry leaves-2 strands
Ginger-2 inch piece
Garlic-5 cloves
Salt-1 tbs(or according to taste)
Kashmiri red chilli powder-2 tbs
Lemon-1/2 piece
Garam masala-1/2 tbs
Beaten curd-1 1/2 tbs
Rice flour-2 tbs
All purpose flour(maidha)-1 1/2 tbs
Egg-1 in no
Refined oil-2 to 3 cups(for deep fry)

Directions

In a blender blend coriander leaves,curry leaves,ginger, green chillies, garlic into a coarse paste using less amount of water.

Rinse and clean chicken and put it in a bowl now add the ground paste to chicken along with salt,chilli powder,lemon juice,1/2 raw beaten egg,garam masala powder,rice flour, all purpose flour and curd respectively, one after the other.

Mix everything well so that everything combines well together and refrigerate it for 6 hours.

Take  it out of refrigerator after 6 hours and let it stand for 10 min.

Heat oil for deep fry in a pan,once oil is hot enough drop in the chicken pieces one by one with help of spoon or hand.

Deep fry them until they turn brown in color,remove the pieces on paper towel and serve it right away.

Kerala Sardine Fry

This is a typical  crispy and tasty Kerala traditional recipe which you can normally find in almost all Kerala restaurants. Sardine is a low calorie, low carbohydrate food which is a treasure chest of vitamins and minerals and hence it is very good for eyes, skin and hair.I make it quite often at home as it is very nutritious for my baby and he likes it a lot.

Ingredients

Sardine fish/ chala – 5 to 6 nos cleaned
Chili powder – 1tsp
Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
Pepper powder – 1tsp
Salt as per taste.
Sun flower oil – 1/4 cup

Instructions

Add all the ingredients mentioned above except sardine fish and oil. Mix well.
Add a little water to the mixture to form a smooth paste.
Now take each sardine fish piece and nicely coat with this masala mixture.
Keep the coated sardine fishes in refrigerator for half an hour.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry the coated fish in low flame untill both the sides turn brown in color.
Remove it to a serving plate and enjoy the delicious fish fry with hot rice.

Chaat Fish Fry

This is a unique fish fry recipe.The presence of chaat masala makes it different from the numerous other fish fry recipes. I made it with palappam and curry and it was a big hit. This became the star of our dinner and everyone wanted this to be included often in our dinner menu.

Ingredients

Fish- 6-7 pieces
Oil for frying

For Marinade

Fenugreek seeds 1 small pinch
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 pinch
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Ginger paste ½ tsp
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Red chili powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tsp

Directions

Grind fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
Mix all ingredients of the marinade and coat on the fish and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
Heat oil and fry till crisp and golden.
Sprinkle chaat masala over it and serve.

Fish fingers

This is a very tasty fish fritter recipe. It can be eaten as an appetizer as well. If you are bored with the usual fish fry recipes, then try out this variety dish and you would be absolutely in love with it.You can add a little bit of rice flour also with the plain flour just to make it a bit more crispy. And if you want it to be spicy, you can add chilly powder too with the flour. Enjoy!

Ingredients

500g skinless, boneless chunky white fish fillet  cut into neat thumb-sized strips
100g plain flour, seasoned
3 large eggs, beaten
200g dried breadcrumbs
Large pinch turmeric (optional)
Vegetable oil, for fryinh

Method

Get 3 shallow dishes and set up a production line of flour then egg then breadcrumbs. If you want the breadcrumbs to be golden then mix through the turmeric. Place a large empty plate at the end of the line to put the uncooked fish fingers on.
Dip a finger of fish in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dredge it through the egg and finally roll it in the breadcrumbs so it’s completely coated and place it on the plate.
To cook the fingers heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the fingers for 3-4 mins on each side. Place on a tray lined with kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven, if cooking in batches. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas mark 6. Brush a tray with a little oil, cook the fish fingers for about 10 - 12 mins until golden and cooked through, turn over half way through cooking time.

Andhra Fish Fry Recipe

Every South Indian Cuisine is incomplete without a spicy fish fry. I've tried almost all fish fry recipes but this one is the speciality of Andhra pradesh and it is super tasty. Addition of garam masala gives it a unique flavour which merges well with the other spices in perfect harmony.

Ingredients

Oil or ghee as needed
250 grams fish pieces or fillet
Salt as needed
2 to 3 pinches of turmeric
1 tbsp. Lemon juice or as needed
¾ tsp ginger garlic paste
¼ to ¾ tsp red chili powder
¼ to ½ tsp garam masala powder

Instructions

Apply salt to fish and rinse it well. Drain thoroughly. Mix all the ingredients except oil. Apply to the fish. Keep this aside for 10 minutes. It absorbs flavors well.
Heat a small pan with oil or ghee. When the oil turns hot enough fry it for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then flip it to the other side. Fry again till it is fried properly. Add curry leaves and fry until crisp. Drain to a kitchen tissue.

Chettinad Fish Fry

Fish fry is some thing that gives every meal a royal touch. So I try to include its different variations in our lunch to have a hearty meal. This fish fry recipe originated  in the chettinad region of south India. It is a very tasty fish fry recipe making use of a handful of masalas and the rice flour masala makes it very crispy. I realized that this is a dish that i can never resist in my life.

Ingredients

Fish   7 small pieces
Oil    as needed to shallow or deep fry.
Salt    to taste
Rice Flour    1 tbsp
Besan Flour    1 tsp
Masala for Marination
Pearl onion/Shallots   5 no.
Garlic  3 fat cloves
Ginger   1/2" piece
Fennel seeds  1 tsp
Cumin seeds  1/4 tsp
Pepper corns  1 tsp
Chilli powder  1 and 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder  2 tsp

Method

Wash fish pieces thoroughly and drain well completely and keep aside.
Grind all the ingredients under the heading "Masala for Marination" to a smooth paste without water or using 1 tbsp water to a fine paste and transfer to a bowl add enough salt, mix well and keep ready.
Now take one piece and apply the masala paste all over the fish and do repeat the same for all the fish pieces and keep it aside for marination for at least 2-3 hours.
After that, heat oil in a pan...when it gets really hot place 1-2 pieces(based on the pan size) at a time
and fry in low medium heat until the bottom turns crisp n light brown.
Now turn the other side and cook until it turns crisp and cooked well.
Then remove from the pan, drain it in paper towel and serve Hot with lemon wedges and sliced tomatoes.